This rhetoric has been given support by washington thinktankers who begin with some important aspects of gangs in the global era, but then draw some. However, there are different types of central american gangs and thus one has to distinguish between pandillas and maras. Connie mcguire washington office on latin america january. This report describes the gang problem in central america, discusses country approaches to deal with the gangs, and analyzes u. Violence reduction and the role of the private sector in e l salvador ii c entral america has the worlds highest homicide ratemore than three times the global averageand without urgent action and new approaches, regional statistics point to continued deterioration in citizen. Gang violence and security in central america, eds. Sensational headlines have publicized the drug trafficking, brutal violence, and other organized crime elements associated with central americas mara gangs. Nicaragua the country continues to maintain the lowest rate of insecurity in the triangle of central america. The maras brutal drug trafficking, aided by corrupt police turning the other cheek. Emotional satisfaction gaining status, respect and a strong sense of collective identity has always been integral to the attractions of gang life, and has. Maras gang violence and security in central america edited by. The major gangs operating in central america with ties to the. Governments must go beyond punitive measures and address the social and economic roots of gang culture, tackle extortion schemes and invest in communities.
Gang violence and security in central america sensational headlines have publicized the drug trafficking, brutal violence, and other organized crime elements associated with. The construction of the maras bibliography graduate. In the past few years, policymakers throughout central america and the united states have been grappling with how to confront the problem of violent transnational youth gangs or maras. As they increase in sophistication, like all organized criminal groups, they will seek to become more clandestine in their activities.
Table 8 roadmap of types of violence in central america 10 table 9 state violence in 1996. With up to 100,000 members scattered across central america, mexico, and the us, the maras could present single greatest threat to regional security in central america since the civil wars. Washington office on latin america january, 2007 central american youth gangs in the washington d. Issue 05 securing peace crime central american youth. While labased ms members established outposts in the national capitol region in the early 1990s many now trace their gang roots to central america. Gangs in central america congressional research service summary the mara salvatrucha ms and its main rival, the 18th street gang, continue to undermine citizen security and subvert government authority in parts of central america.
Some youth were from families who fled chicagos gang violence, but most were local youth, struggling to make meaning in their lives and mesmerized. Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in central america article pdf available in security dialogue 4045 september 2009 with 528 reads how we measure reads. In maras, researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds explore the problem of gangs in central america. Even though the journey to the united states is filled with grave danger, children are fleeing central america because of their dire living situations. Nov, 2016 fleeing gangs, central american families surge toward u. It is too early to tell what results he will obtain. Most explanations of the high levels of violence in latin america and the caribbean have focused on economic factors, cultural variables, and drug wars. Of course, id heard about the gang violence in central america, the rampant crime, the skyhigh homicide rates, the proliferation of maras and pandillas. Skinner free pdf d0wnl0ad, audio books, books to read, good books to read.
Youth gangs are not a specific central american phenomenon. Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in central. Maras and gangs, community and police in central america sida. In thomas bruneau, lucia dammert and elizabeth skinner, eds. The first book to look specifically at the central american gang problem by. Sensational headlines have publicized the drug trafficking, brutal violence, and other organized crime elements associated with central america s mara gangs, but there have been few cleareyed analyses of the history, hierarchies, and future of the mara phenomenon. It is your space, so use it the way it suits you best, and expect to get feedback from your peers. Reviewing human insecurity and the prospects for disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration, by robert muggah, october 2005, updated, isbn 2828800660 15 silencing guns. Maras gang violence and security in central america edited. One reason the gang problem in central america is so difficult to.
Three young people are murdered every day in honduras. In thomas bruneaus introduction, maras are distinguished from local street gangs or pandillas, in their hierarchal organizations and extensive use of violence, both physical and sexual. It also examines weak justice institutions as a high risk factor for crime and violence. Central american gangs are responsible for brutal acts of violence, abuse of women and forced displacement of thousands. Maras, security and development in central america task force. There are more than 900 gangs or operating in central maras america today, with an estimated 70,000. Apr 06, 2017 central american gangs are responsible for brutal acts of violence, abuse of women and forced displacement of thousands. Sep 16, 2016 most explanations of the high levels of violence in latin america and the caribbean have focused on economic factors, cultural variables, and drug wars. Maras, security and development in central america task force activities were assisted financially by the bureau of educational and cultural affairs of the united states department of state. The nexus between gang proliferation and migration trends is constantly evolving.
This video from international crisis groups explores the social and. The groups transnational activities across north and central america offer a further point of distinction. The book aims to balance the overwhelmingly sensationalist reporting on gangs in englishlanguage media with an. May 21, 2018 one of the deadliest gangs in central america, the maras, come face to face with citizen militia in this doc. Gang violence and security in central america by thomas. Making sense of central american maras gang research. Background and policy issues for congress, by peter j.
How the street gangs took central america foreign affairs. Mara salvatrucha ms some believe mara simply means gang or the name of a street in san salvador. As washington fiddles, the gangs are growing, spreading north into mexico and back to the. In this article, i argue that it is necessary to bring the state back into the analysis of criminal violence by examining the many ways in which the state directly contributes to violence. This report presents a detailed analysis of three main drivers of crime in the region. For a decade, the united states has exported its gang problem, sending central americanborn criminals back to their homelands without warning local governments. Youth gangs, maras, engage in extortion, robbery, theft, drug and weapons trafficking, bribery, rape and contract and random killings. The transnational reach of the maras, their involvement in the trafficking of contraband, and the burgeoning number of homicides due to gang violence raise very serious issues about security, not only in central america but also in the united states. Differentiating between pandillas and maras youth gangs have existed since the 1960s and 1970s in central america. Groups like ms and their rivals, barrio 18, have expanded across. Gangs, violence and displacement in central america.
Gang violence and security in central america bruneau, thomas, dammert, lucia, skinner, elizabeth on. Maras were hunted by death squads including sombra negra. The project has an international staff with expertise in security studies. Much attention has been given to the growth of central american, originally salvadoran, street gangs maras within the united states resulting from the salvadoran refugee and immigrant influx in. Violence in central america recent central american history. Violence was generally limited to gang rivalry, along with some petty crime in public. Gang violence and security in central america provides muchneeded insight. State and criminal violence in latin america springerlink. Edited by thomas bruneau, lucia dammert, and elizabeth skinner. The first book to look specifically at the central american gang problem by drawing on the. The best known maras are mara salvatrucha and their rivals calle 18. What is behind crime and violence in central america. Gdp if citizen security, law enforcement and health care are included.
The central american state response to gangs has involved the implementation of zero tolerance policies with an. The first book to look specifically at the central american gang problem by drawing on the perspectives of the first book to look specifically at the central american gang problem by drawing on the perspectives of researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, maras. Security in c entral a merica s northern t riangle. Gang violence and security in central america request pdf. The transformation of maras from immigrant support networks in big u. Sensational headlines have publicized the drug trafficking, brutal violence, and other organized crime elements associated with central americas mara gangs, but there have been few cleareyed analyses of the history, hierarchies, and future of the mara phenomenon. Project muse promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Armed groups, guns, and human security in the ecowas region, edited by nicolas florquin and eric g.
The emergence and spread of maras in central america. Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in. This study documents how gangs or maras represent emotive communi ties which. Rodgers, muggah, and stevenson gangs of central america iii. Fleeing gangs, central american families surge toward u. Almost all maras display tattoos on their bodies as a sign of their affiliation to their gang.
What seems to be a security problem at first implies various social dimensions. Gang violence and security in central america sensational headlines have publicized the drug trafficking, brutal violence, and other. One of the deadliest gangs in central america, the maras, come face to face with citizen militia in this doc. Violence and survival in urban central america anthony w.
The result has been an explosive rise of vicious, transnational gangs that now threaten the stability of the regions fragile democracies. Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, project muse is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it serves. Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in central america oliver jutersonke, robert muggah, and dennis rodgers security dialogue 2009 40. Pdf gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in. The maras and national security in central america. Local perspectives on small arms and armed violence in rural.
Nov 12, 2010 three young people are murdered every day in honduras. The nature of the gang problem in central american countries. One reason the gang problem in central america is so difficult to understand is the intense political rhetoric from some us politicians. The first book to look specifically at the central american gang problem by drawing on the perspectives of researchers from.
Also see crs report r41731, central america regional security initiative. Feb 14, 2007 while labased ms members established outposts in the national capitol region in the early 1990s many now trace their gang roots to central america. Alarm over the spreading influence of central american maras is nothing new. This transnational gang has established its tentacles firmly in the united states, central america and mexico. That violence reflects the broader impunity or transitional injustice that has persisted since the peace accords and transitions to democracy of the 1980s. Gang violence and security in central america thomas bruneau, lucia. Central american gang violence has become a predominant and relevant issue to the united states of america united states or u. Central america, the systematic use of violence and the brutality shown by the new type of. Central americas northern triangle is infamous for high levels of violent crime and human rights abuses, producing impunity states in which violence typically goes unpunished.
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